The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Zulu’. ‘Zulu’ represents a new Bigleaf Hydrangea, a deciduous shrub grown for landscape use and for use as a potted plant.
‘Zulu’ arose from an open pollination in June 2003 in his nursery in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. ‘Zulu’ was selected as a single unique plant from amongst seedlings that were grown in a seedbed and derived from open pollination of Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Blaumeise’ (not patented). The male parent of ‘Zulu’ is unknown.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by softwood stem cuttings in De Kwakel, The Netherlands in July of 2004 by the inventor. The characteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.